Pope Francis in January 2021 -

'VATICAN MEDIA / CPP / IP / SIPA

It was, it seems, one of the unfulfilled dreams of the former mayor of Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin: to see the Pope stop over in France's second city.

Perhaps it will be done next October.

The French episcopate officially invited Pope Francis to come to Marseille on All Saints' Day, on the occasion of a gathering of Jesuits.

The invitation, for the end of October, was formulated by the Archbishop of Marseille, Jean-Marc Aveline, and sent to the Sovereign Pontiff during the visit to Rome in early December by the President of the Conference of Bishops of France (CEF), Eric de Moulins-Beaufort, Hugues de Woillemont, CEF spokesperson, told reporters.

A pope trained by the Jesuits

Several hundred Jesuits, the order in which Pope Francis was trained, are expected.

“We have no official response, we would obviously be delighted, (…) we are waiting,” declared Woillemont's father, who was speaking by videoconference.

This invitation, already formulated on several occasions, in particular by the former archbishop of Marseille, Georges Pontier, would include a visit to the Marian city of Lourdes, said the CEF.

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  • Pope Francis